Monthly Archives: August 2010

Two hours ago Steve Coast from OSM contacted us to let us know one of the OSM community members found what he thought was OSM data in our Chile database without attribution. Steve’s crew and Waze’s started investigating IMMEDIATELY across 3 continents and we had answers in 30 minutes.

What we found was a huge disappointment.; we indeed had OSM data which was not from a common base source and was clearly copied.

We have fantastic partners around the world who we partner with for local data. Unfortunately, our LATAM partner Location World had acquired data from an unreliable source who seems to have infringed on OSM, and Location World is now pursuing legal options against them. While we sort this out, we have pulled all of the Chile data from Waze. The data has been deleted from the database and should be gone from the Cartouche (our web editing interface) already. It will take 24-48 hours for the deletion to propagate through the system and down to the clients (sorry Chilean Wazers).

To be on the safe side, we are pulling all the data from this source, in other countries as well: Peru, Uruguay and parts of Argentina, and it should be removed shortly.

The data will be back up again soon, after we have confirmed NO OTHER infringements are there. We are also embarking on a process to more closely review partner data around the world. It’s sad that this happens. We are huge fans of OSM and hope to collaborate with OSM through the new license transition.

So thanks to the OSM members; Ivan Sanchez in Spain and Julio Costa in Chile who identified the problem and we commit to deal with any other suspicion just as fast. Thanks for Steve for knowing we would never do this willfully and letting us know this has happened in the past.

To map providers around the world, infringement is not only a crime but there is a large community out there monitoring your actions who will work together to find you.

And mostly to the OSM community, we are truly sorry. We work with our partners to protect their data rights and will now be more vigilant on evaluating their sources. We value your help and commit to protect your data rights as vigilantly as we protect our partner’s data, removing any infringement on your rights.

One of the most frustrating things about navigating a vehicle through urban areas are turn restrictions. You want to go right but the sign says you must go left. Some of the frustration is caused by the additional driving time and increased number if turns required, but that frustration is compounded if you didn’t know that the turn restriction existed in the first place.

With well mapped turn restrictions, you can plan a better route right from the start, rather than adapting later. The project of the week is to check and update turn restrictions in your area.

Find out more about checking, adding and fixing turn restrictions, including tutorials on the OpenStreetMap wiki page for this Project of the Week.

Over a year ago I did a handful of JOSM tutorials ( http://wiki.openstreetmap.org /wiki/JOSM ), for example this one on making a simple edit for the first time using JOSM: http://russnelson.com/osm/josm-first-edit-ever.swf , or this one on merging two ways into one: http://russnelson.com/osm/JOSM-merging-ways.mp4 . JOSM has changed since then, and I should probably re-do those tutorials. What tutorials do you think we need to have for JOSM? Are you having trouble using JOSM? Ask questions in the comments below, and I’ll see if I can record a video that answers your question.

A recent entry on the Yahoo! Developer Network Blog mentions some sweeping changes for Yahoo! developers. In part, and relating to geo:

Maps, Geo, and Local

Location-based services are an essential element in web app development. We will be evaluating all our Geo, Maps, and Local APIs–updating or shutting down some of them, and working with our strategic partner, Nokia, on others. We will work with our developer community to ensure a smooth transition in all instances and we will share more details about these decisions in September.

Your multi-use trail might provide a path for school children with less vehicle traffic. It might provide a measured distance for runners to exercise. It might provide educational access to a protected environmental area or a place to go with the family for some fresh air and a picnic.

Your multi-use path adds character to your neighbourhood and to the map. One of the most fundamental contributions that you can make to OpenStreetMap is to add a new trail, path or road. The Project of the Week is to add a Trail to OpenStreetMap.

Find details on how to participate in this Project of the Week see the wiki http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Project_of_the_week/2010/Aug_22

OpenStreetMap turns six today, so Happy Anniversary and / or Happy Birthday. Celebrations around the world range from quiet reflection of individual mappers to raucous demonstrations of mass cartography. Also, there are sweets.